All About Pocket Knives

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2024 4:30 pm .... The one thing I don't get is how you sanded down the rough cut pins and peened them WITHOUT marring the saw cut bone at all? And same on the bolsters. Your work is impressive here. When I cut the pins down to size and try carefully to sand/grind down the last little bit, I always end up nicking the antler right next to the pin and dinging it up a bit when I want it to remain pristine like yours. Got a suggestion or method you would share?

Meridian_Mike wrote: ↑Wed Aug 07, 2024 11:10 am

Ivoryman wrote: ↑Tue Aug 06, 2024 4:30 pm .... The one thing I don't get is how you sanded down the rough cut pins and peened them WITHOUT marring the saw cut bone at all? And same on the bolsters. Your work is impressive here. When I cut the pins down to size and try carefully to sand/grind down the last little bit, I always end up nicking the antler right next to the pin and dinging it up a bit when I want it to remain pristine like yours. Got a suggestion or method you would share?

I am always trying new methods to keep the dings and marks off the bone at the rocker pin.
What I did this time was to go ahead and create a "head" on the rocker pin in a vice. That way, one side is already done. Then, I get the pin in place and cut it to a length of about 1/16 or so just above the surface of the bone. Then, I file the end of the pin flat for a good peening surface. THIS TIME and for the first time I tried this...., I put some painter's tape around the pin at the bone while I was peening. That way, as the hammer glanced off OR if I missed, the tape would hopefully reduce the damage.
I used a similar method at the bolsters. One end of the pin has a head created in a vice. I also slightly countersink the bolsters so there will be an area to create a definite HOLD of the pin to the bolster. The "Fan out" effect of the pin inside the bolster give the pin a definite HOLD to the bolster and keeps the blade "wobble" at a minimum over time.
As far as the final peening of any pin, I make sure I peen slowly. I barely put any force to the hammer. It is almost like the weight of the hammer is doing all the work. It will take several minutes to peen my pins. That way, I also hope to keep the internal swell of the pin stock at the hole thru the blade to a minimum.

Maybe Jeff can tell us a little about how he does his pins. I just came up with this idea about how to finish pins on my own.

I hope this helps.